.......there'll be 6 "new" teams to play next season. Three parachute supported "heavyweights" coming down wanting to get back up, and 3 perrenial wannabe clubs coming up trying to make sure they don't go back down. Looks like it's Burnley, Watford and Norwich from the Prem, and probably Wigan, Rotherham and MK Dons (subject to playoffs) - next season looks very much like another edition of the "Year of the Yoyos". With last season's Prem relegees Fulham and Bournemouth heading back to the Prem along with one of the playoff contenders, what's really left of this season's crop? Three of those four playoff clubs will still be here, but when you look at the rest, getting it right in the summer window will be key for them all - especially City. You'd have to back the new moneybags coming down like Fulham and Bournemouth this season, but the rest is a free for all. If Morison in bringing in Doyle, Drameh and Doughty in January is indicative of his perception, the club (Tan) should back his judgement and support him with similar "off the radar" moves. We'll obviously need experience through the side and that wil be key, but there'll be plenty of that about in the summer as other clubs offload. Can this club at last move forward and away from the past half dozen year slog?
Not sure where Tan's head is. Sell, bimble along or invest? Given the money he has tied up in the club, he'll want a good price, probably more than other clubs could be bought for, unless he has other opportunities to invest what he could free up. I dont see him chucking money at the club. Firstly as he's been burnt by Malky and Colin's spending and secondly his assets have dropped significantly in the last year or three. So, a bit more bimbling? Morison's change of style along with promotion of youngsters and an eye for a loanee, means things might be looking a bit more hopeful. If Tan can see his way to providing a modest war chest to bring in a key signing or two and Morison can find a freebee or two to go with another few astute loanees we might have a run at top 6. Lots of ifs and accepting the fans of half a dozen or more clubs will be thinking similar, we could find ourselves between 5th and 15th. Hoping we wont be flirting with the bottom end of the table at any point. Dont think any of the teams coming up will challenge top 6 and can imagine one of Watford or Burnley struggling. Norwich pretty aligned with the Championship. So, in summary, who knows? Cautiously optimistic that we're heading in the right direction but it will need another couple years of patience from Tan.
Nobody predicted Luton Huddersfield and Forest as likely play off teams so it shows you don’t need to spend big - yes it helps - but it’s not necessarily guaranteed success like WBA. Whether next season will be the same is unknown. A decent spring clean of our stale squad with some inspirational signings all across the field and an uptempo style and who knows?
Of the 3 that came down last season, maybe all 3 will go back up - that could be a "heads up" for next season. Fulham and Bournemouth look nailed on and Sheff Utd could well do it through the playoffs. Of those that came up, Blackpool and Hull have survived - Blackpool comfortably, with only Peterborough looking likely to drop back down. I think those two stats at each end of the table prove just how average this division is. When relegated Prem clubs find it reasonably comfortable to boss the table and the promoted clubs find their feet without too much bother - that says it all. On the present standards of those involved this season, it won't take that much to push any club toward that top 6 ambition - and that should be the minimum aspiration.
Regarding last season's three relegated Prem clubs going straight back up, I can remember B365 offering some interesting one-off options before the season started. They were offering odds for 1, 2 or all 3 of them doing it. I think it was about even money for any one, something like 4/1 for two of them, and from memory around the 20/1 mark for all three. I didn't go for the long shot of all 3 because we had Mick at the helm at the time and I thought we'd be one of them. ....
